Silent Crickets: A Shallow End Gals, Trilogy Book Three

by Troutman, Kimberly

  Abram pushed Jackson to the side and said, “We best be leavin’ now, and just hope they don’t see us. You clear what you need to do out here?” Jackson nodded, and Abram gave him the key. “Don’t be losing that.” Jackson noticed Abram didn’t lock the door back up. Jackson slipped the key into his pocket and slid into the passenger seat of the car. As far as he was concerned, they couldn’t get out of there fast enough. A visit from a Voodoo lady didn’t make him feel any better.

  The old Impala crawled away from the barn, back down the dirt path toward the road. The main driveway headed off to the right and was not visible, but Abram didn’t want to make a dust cloud or any noise that would draw attention to his car. When they reached the end of the dirt drive and edge of the road he stretched his neck as far forward as he could. He didn’t see the burgundy Cadillac. “They must have got it runnin’ again. We lucked out!”

  Abram gave the car some gas and headed back toward town. Willie, Wilma and Sasha had stopped pushing the Cadillac to rest in the shade of a big tree for a minute. Their car wasn’t visible from the road because of undergrowth, but Spicey had been steering and saw Abram drive by. Some guy was with him. They had come out of the woods just a hundred yards down the road. Somethin’ real fishy goin’ on.

  Spicey got out of the car and walked back to Sasha. “You be willin’ to take a little walk with me? We give Willie and Wilma a chance to get to know each other, and we’ll see if we can find us some wild berries down here.”

  Sasha looked puzzled, “Wild berries in the fall?” Spicey frowned at her and Sasha figured Spicey had some sort of plan. It probably didn’t have a dang thing to do with berries either. “How ‘little’ a walk you talkin’? I ain’t exactly dressed for hikin’ around in the woods.”

  Sasha caught up with Spicey who was now already on the road and starting to head for where she saw Abram’s car came out of the tree line. “Come on girlfriend. Won’t hurt us to get a little exercise in today.” Sasha couldn’t believe Spicey had said that. Spicey would use her cell phone to call the store answering machine for messages when she was in the next room. Exercise!

  When they had walked a ways down the road, they saw the dirt drive heading back to a barn. Spicey started walking down the drive. Sasha asked, “We walkin’ all the way to that barn over there?” Sasha sidestepped a briar bush trying to grow in the middle of the drive. “Thought we not ‘sposed to be here.”

  Spicey whispered, “I just saw Abram Davis and some dude pull out of here in that big ol’ Impala of his. Why you think Abram be out here?” Sasha was shaking her head but still walking with Spicey. “I bet he be up to no good for sure, and I know Tourey got somethin’ goin’ out here. I think we owe Tourey to check this out. You know, spy a little.”

  Sasha liked the idea she was a spy. Especially since it looked like the bad guys were probably gone. Sasha started humming ‘Goldfinger’, and Spicey started laughing. They made their way around the back of the barn and saw the service door. Spicey held out the open padlock for Sasha to see. “If there was somethin’ bad here you’d think they‘d have locked up.” Spicey slowly opened the door, and they walked in.

  Sasha whistled, “This be the biggest, cleanest barn I ever did see.” Both their eyes floated around the walls to land on the row of kennels. Spicey started walking toward them. Her walk became slower, and she stopped.

  Spicey looked at Sasha, “Why would there be toilets and beds in kennels? No dogs nowhere. This looks more like little prison cells.”

  Sasha looked puzzled then said, “Uh oh.” She held up a stack of coloring books and crayons that sat in a pile on a table. “Maybe for little prisoners?”

  Spicey’s mouth flew open, and she clutched her amulet. “Somethin’ be real wrong here.”

  Spicey looked at Sasha very seriously, “You don’t have to come with me, but that front door be open. I want to see if somebody’s home. I’ll tell them our car broke down, and we need a phone.” Sasha didn’t like the sound of going up to the house, but she also felt a strong desire to find out what was going on. If somebody was holdin’ children prisoner, she wanted to help Spicey get ‘em caught. She looked at Spicey and gave her a big nod. As they crossed the lawn to the front door, they were both humming ‘Jesus Loves Me’ for courage.

  Spicey knocked loudly on the open front door, “Yoo hoo! Anybody home? Yoo hoo.” They looked at each other, and Spicey took a couple of steps into the foyer. “We be needin’ to use a phone. Anyone here?” Silence.

  Sasha stepped up close behind Spicey and whispered, “We best shut the door, look at all the flies in here.”

  Spicey looked around and saw that most of the flies seemed to be comin’ from a room on the right. She slowly started walking toward the room when Sasha grabbed the back of her skirt and startled her.

  “Don’t be grabbin’ on me! Scare the pee outa me!” They walked further into the room and saw feet protruding from a recliner chair. There was a black liquid all around on the rug and the buzzing of the flies was so loud Spicey raised her voice. “Excuse me but we need a phone.” The feet didn’t move. They inched closer. Spicey was now hanging on to Sasha, too, as they sidestepped closer to the front of the chair.

  They saw him at the same time. Blood everywhere. Bullet holes, flies. They looked at each other, screamed, and ran for the front door. Spicey yelled, “Stop!” Sasha kept going. Spicey took a deep breath, leaned against the open door, and then turned to go back in. There might be some kid in there needin’ her. Damn it all anyway! She slowly started walking through the mansion. She peeked in every room but didn’t see signs of any other people. An icy chill suddenly shot through her spine. She bolted down the center hall to the foyer. She slammed the door on her way out and ran down the driveway screaming the song ‘Jesus Loves Me’ in a warbling voice.

  When she got to the car, the motor was running, and Willie, Wilma and Sasha were all inside. Spicey got in, her chest heaving, and looked to the back seat at Sasha who had her knees up to her dropped head, and her hands covering her face. Wilma volunteered, “Sasha not feelin’ so good. Got them bad hiccups, too. Best we get her home.” Spicey saw one of Sasha’s eyes peek through her fingers. Then a loud, “Hic!” Looked like her eyeball was ready to jump from its socket.

  Spicey dabbed her cheeks with a hankie, “We probably got a little more exercise than we be ready for.” She rubbed her amulet all the way back to the city, humming ‘Jesus Loves Me’ while Sasha hiccupped and the car burped.

  Tourey headed out to the country house of Senator Kenny’s. He wasn’t sure how to get Patterson to tell him what he needed to know, but he had to try. Hopefully, none of the other club members would show up while he was there. Tourey had reviewed his notes on the human trafficking case the CIA had worked on last year. They had made some arrests and saved some people, but they knew the organization still existed. Judge Harold Williams’s name had kept popping up in that investigation. He was a member of this sicko club.

  Could be it was time to dig into the judge some more too. Roger had his hands full. Tourey knew everyone was counting on him. Tourey arrived at the country house, parked out front, and knocked loudly on the door. He waited a few minutes and knocked again. There was a wrap-around porch, so Tourey walked around to peek in the windows.

  Damn. William Patterson laid sprawled out on a recliner obviously dead.

  Tourey walked back to the front door. It was unlocked, so he went in. He stood facing Patterson as he called John. “Got a problem gettin’ much info from Patterson. Been shot about five times from what I can see. Based on insect activity, probably about six hours ago. Now what?”

  John arrived at the Star Ship and gave Ray the flash drive from Tourey. Thor and Jeanne had been the last to arrive. Roger asked Jeanne to bring them up to date on what had happened at Mathew Core’s house when she went to warn Lisa about the sicko club.

  Jeanne explained the cartel guys pulled up front, blocked her car, and sent guys in both the front and back doors. Af
ter sending Lisa and Jamie to the back of the house, she was able to shoot the men as they entered the home. She then told the team she used Lisa’s SUV to escape with them, but an SUV of Manio’s men had been waiting in the alley. Jeanne worried about the traffic congestion in the city and decided to take Lisa and Jamie to Jeremiah’s. Jeanne told them the only safe place she could think of for Jamie and Lisa to hide was Jeremiah’s tunnel. The men were close behind them and there was no time to spare. Jeanne described the men hunting them from the grasses. She heard Pablo and Thor arrive, then saw one of the men shoot Pablo.

  Ray listened with a look of terror on his face. “This is why I don’t do field shit. This right here! Geeks live longer!” Everyone chuckled.

  Simon explained that Core’s wife and daughter had already been moved to a secret location for safety, but the National Guard was still securing the perimeter of the field office for effect.

  John’s phone rang. It was Tourey. John signaled to Roger to step away from the group so they could talk.

  John said, “Tourey’s at the country house. Patterson was shot. Looks professional. Tourey left the house, hid his car, and is down the road a piece so he can watch the driveway. He doesn’t think anyone knows Patterson is dead yet.”

  The first thought that went through Roger’s mind was Core. Roger looked at the group and told them about Tourey’s call. Paul offered, “If Tourey has any recording equipment, maybe we can bait the scene and see what happens.” The team discussed a couple of other ideas. Roger went back to Paul’s.

  “I like Paul’s idea best. They are expecting deliveries of kids, and I would bet at least one of them will go out there to make sure the house is ready. Probably the Senator. I would like to see how he reacts to Patterson being dead. He may have done it. Regardless, somebody has to get rid of that body.” The decision was made. Tourey would wire the place up and send the feed to Ray at the Star Ship.

  Roger explained some information from the communication sting and part of his plan to get the cartels. He told the team he was not at liberty to talk about a portion of what had been found out. Roger handed Ray a slip of paper. “We have a serious security problem. Mathew Core used this code to access our witness protection program. He said he can get into anything he wants with it. It has been ‘hard programmed’ in. I want to test this. Do you have a site you have trouble getting into?”

  Ray looked at Roger, “Lots of them. Most of CIA for one. I can only go to level eight, and I get stopped. Want me to try?”

  Roger nodded. They all watched Ray key in the code and then the CIA web address. Ray entered a couple of keystrokes. He was in. He kept entering search keywords and finding new file sites. Each entry he made he would lean in closer to his monitor and type faster.

  Finally he turned to look at Roger, “I can get anything I ask for. That should not have happened.”

  Roger said, “Try ATF and DEA.” Again, Ray had no problem. He was getting any information he wanted.

  Simon was pacing, “Core’s computer hack Sims is behind this. How many people have this code?”

  Roger shrugged, “I have no idea. Ray, give this code to the CIA gurus working on this stuff. See if they can’t tear it down, plug it, whatever you guys do. Tell them OSI stumbled on it.” John frowned at Roger. Roger shrugged.

  Paul was flipping through the banking data from French Quarter Bank. “Has anyone had a chance to skim through here looking for names we know?” Simon volunteered he was getting ready to do that. Roger asked Ray to send the sicko club names to all field offices. The focus would have to be keeping eyes on the children, but the field offices had to know the perpetrators too.

  Roger leaned against the wall and watched the team with admiration. He knew they were the best of the best and silently thanked Ellen. He was sure she had arranged for it to work out this way. Jeanne looked over and Roger signaled her to join him upstairs. She knew he was going to order her to take some time away from the case. She had been dreading this moment. Jeanne looked to Thor, he looked away.

  Once in the kitchen, Roger closed the door and invited Jeanne to take a seat. He smiled a weak smile and shook his head. “You are a remarkable agent, a remarkable person. You have to be exhausted and troubled by the events of yesterday and today.” Roger waited for her response.

  Jeanne focused on Roger, and he momentarily pulled back from the intensity of her eyes. “I understand why you believe I should feel those things. Maybe I should, but I don’t.” Jeanne leaned forward, “I know your specialty is behavioral science. Maybe you can explain it to me, but this is how I feel. The men I killed today and killing Devon yesterday, needed to be done. They were prepared to harm innocent people. I don’t feel any remorse. I feel a sense of urgency because we are not done. When I am in these situations, it’s like something takes over me, like an automatic reflex. When it’s over, I feel the same satisfaction I have from finishing my laundry.”

  Roger was somewhat stunned by her analogy. He had talked to combat personnel who had admitted they didn’t consider the enemy ‘real people’. He had never heard killing nine men compared to completing a household task. Roger looked in Jeanne’s eyes. “Do me a favor and think of something beautiful, peaceful.” Jeanne’s expression immediately softened. Roger swore her eye color changed. Roger’s phone rang. It was Kim. Roger excused himself to stand on the other side of the room and take the call. “Yes?”

  Kim exhaled, “Well, I’m not at all sure why Ellen wants me to tell you this, but you can bet I will bring it up later when we talk. You are looking into the eyes of a very special woman. According to Ellen, in the Voodoo culture, she borders on spiritual. You should trust her to do the right thing. Ellen says her beauty masks her power.”

  Roger cleared his throat, “Uh, thanks. Yes, I’ll talk to you later.”

  Roger sat down across from Jeanne. The intensity had returned to her eyes. His mind flashed back to the absolute precision of her kill shot to Devon. He remembered Jeanne said her month with Mambo had helped her regain her center. Jeanne’s rigid posture was that of a warrior, and she certainly had honed the skills.

  Roger folded his hands in his lap and leaned back in his chair. He had to trust Ellen. “What do you need from me?”

  Jeanne smiled, “I need you to trust me. I’m okay. I want to stay on this case.”

  Roger nodded, “Done.”

  Mathew Core dialed Juan Zelez, head of the Zelez cartel. His call was immediately answered.

  “I have been expecting your call. Are we still set for tomorrow?” Juan Zelez was fully aware of the trouble in New Orleans today and suspected he had been set up. Mathew Core had brokered the deal. As far as Zelez was concerned, Core was a dead man. Zelez waved the other men from his office and walked out to his veranda. From here he could see his beautiful gardens peppered with his security men.

  Core answered, “Martial law has been declared in New Orleans and your thirty ton shipment has been confiscated. My contact is still good, but some other problem led the Feds right into my shipment, but I’m sure you already know this. I also had a deal with Manio for sixty tons and enough coke to supply the east coast for a month. The Feds have it all.”

  Zelez considered what Core was telling him. “Are there really ninety tons of weapons at the port?”

  Core answered, “Yes. Straight from Algiers. All the good stuff. Lots of ammo. Right now they are in the secured Navy yard. My source says it is all being moved to secure sites by train on Monday.”

  Zelez was quiet. “Then we take the train. When can you have more information?”

  Core answered, “SSA Roger Dance of the FBI is holding my wife and daughter for my cooperation in relaying messages to both you and Manio. He wants you both. I am telling you what he asked me to tell you.”

  Zelez was puzzled. “I ask you again, not what Dance told you to tell me, but truth if you value the lives of your wife and daughter. Are there really ninety tons of weapons at the Naval Yard?”

  “Yes.”
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  “Then the train is a trap. He wants me to take it.”

  “Probably.”

  “What did he tell you to say to Manio?”

  “Exactly what I just told you. Including the fact that the weapons and drugs will be moved by train on Monday.”

  Zelez laughed, “Is he a fool? He invites two drug cartels to take his bait and tells us ahead of time where they are?”

  Core answered, “Don’t underestimate Dance. When is the last time you heard of martial law being declared? Check him out. This is free from me to you: it is important that you not open any accounts at French Quarter Bank between now and tomorrow night at midnight. You probably should close any accounts you might have there. Ignore anything you hear about that bank. You will thank me.”

  Zelez was quiet for a minute and said, “You, my friend, still owe me. I think maybe you can help me find a way to get those guns. You check around for me. If they are using trains, I might have a name for you.”

  Zelez continued, “Dance is expecting me or Manio to move on these guns. He doesn’t care who or when. If I decided to sit this one out and let him get Manio, what’s in it for me?”

  Core answered, “New Orleans. Dance goes home, job done.”

  Zelez asked, “What is Dance promising Manio?”

  “Same thing he is promising you. To take out whoever shows up.”

  Zelez paused, “Why did you warn me about the bank? Did you warn Manio?”

  Core said, “Manio sent eight men to kidnap my wife and daughter. I will encourage Manio to use the bank if I get an opportunity. I have every confidence in Dance.”

  “Interesting.”

  Core made an identical call to Jessie Manio, leaving out the information about French Quarter Bank. Manio expressed regrets for his poor judgment going after Core’s wife and daughter. Core listened with tempered anger. Manio, too, suggested to Core that while the train was an obvious trap, the guns might still be available for the taking.